Self Directed Project - Learning Agreement

As part of the unit I have to write my own learning agreement which is similar to a brief. It is a description of the work which i have decided to undertake for the project, detailing exactly what i will produce and why.


Learning Agreement ; 


For SDP I shall be creating a series of toiles based around women's 19^th Century clothing. I shall be researching from around 1820 to 1850 for the first section of the project from which I shall create 2 toiles, one from Janet Arnold's Patterns of Fashion and one from Norah Waugh's Cut of Women's Clothes.

For the second part of the project I would like to explore slightly later in the time period and create a toile from 1850 to 1910. This shall be developed into a full toile, that will have finished edges and be presentable as a costume piece.

Along side the toiles I shall also create a piece for the National Theatre Hire Department, which will be a 19^th Century Pin-tucked blouse. This does not involve pattern drafting but will give me a chance to refine my making skills for a professional finish and will tie in with the rest of the period work well.

I hope to gain from this project a good grasp on female cutting and draping as I have not yet had the opportunity and I felt this was needed before I entered level 6. The cut and shape will be the focus rather than the fit of the garment however, I shall pad my mannequin to fit a classmate, so I will have a model for photographs for my portfolio. 

I also hope to improve on this project the time management skills that will aid me in the future, and keep on track with the schedule I have set myself in order to keep to the hand in deadline. This will mean pushing myself to a faster speed of work and will also give me a better idea of the time frames needed for female pattern drafting.

This project I feel will benefit me in broadening my skills as a maker and cutter of costume as well as my period knowledge. My main interest is in female costume and it will finally give the the chance to learn and develop my chosen area by working with undergarments and the female silhouette. The 19^th Century I feel is broad enough in its changing styles (and patterns) to make each toile I create challenging. It will also give me the opportunity to further develop, in depth, my knowledge of the period and how the garments are cut. I am looking to advance my 2D to 3D skills as well in this project, feeling that this will benefit my competence as a maker.

Overall I am undertaking this project with the intention of learning how to cut a female stand to widen my attributes as to be as desirable for employment as possible. By choosing a range of patterns to interpret I am challenging myself to develop as a cutter, a pathway in costume that I am aspiring to. I feel the making side of costume is my passion but I would like to be confident through the whole making process and be competent in each section. As well as my toiles I shall also be handing in a blog which shall contain all of my planning and evaluation throughout the project along with my research, development and other activities worth recording.